HifumiJapanese food doesn't have to be fancy. Home-style Japanese. Best tonkatsu on O`ahu (IMHO). The shrimp tempura, chicken teriyaki, and tokatsu are simply and perfectly executed.

This is a great list of chinatown restaurants. My favorites are Ken Fong for good home-style chinese. Empress for dim sum; the chicken feet are the best here as are the rest of the dim sum staples. Served fresh in metal carts with steaming bamboo baskets. Nayong Filipino is not Chinese but is my favorite Filipino place downtown.

Zippy'sNot quite a Denny's or a Friendlies, but some how a little of both but better. Zip Pac or Chili Frank is a great way to satisfy the hunger after a day at the beach. Jess loves the chili moco. What is chili moco? I'm not sure you want to know. You can also find a Napoleon's Bakery attached to every zippy's, great apple turn overs.

If you're going to head up north, don't miss Matsumoto Shave ice. I know it's touristy, but you still have to do it if you're all the way up there. Also reviewed here.

Angela on day 16. Jenny's goodbye SF party on the way home. Morning yoga.

I sold a photograph today. SF Magazine will be running Shred Begley Jr in the September issue.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Yoga this morning before work. Nothing like starting a day with yoga. This morning there was chanting. OMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...NOMNOMNOM... There was also Christina Aguilera and James Taylor during class. I'm surprised there was no giggling.

After 3 classes I'm convinced that yoga is a good compliment to cycling. One is in motion and one is stationary. Yoga is good for stretching and balance, cycling is good for cardiovascular endurance. Along with 2 beers a day, I'm sure this has to be good for me.

The yoga put me in the mood to ride:

Today there was important discussion. When presented with the following, which is preferred?

* Crack* Thong

I prefer crack, as it's more natural, but it seems I'm in the minority.

Angela on day 14, I see Dustin and Grady from day 9. Dennis, Danielle, Jeanie, Andrew, and Alan at Tuesdaygeist. 8p poker at Aus'.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Day 21. Dennis, Seth, and Danielle return from Oregon. Dennis and Seth completed a 6 day 400 mile ride from Portland to Joseph. D drove the sag wagon, which was only necessary for a night of camping. There was talk of maps and it reminded me of:

Monday, July 21, 2008

You don't miss a day going by in the ZG. In fact, it's just the opposite. I've become more aware of what day it is. What I've eaten, who I've seen. I've become more aware of the time and the beer and oddly 15 days seems less a record than a realization.

In the attempt to leave us with something more than a few fond memories, a long-time friend and ex-SF resident, Jason Turim, sought to set a record of consecutive days at our favorite watering establishment. After 14 days, a couple of cursory showers, and not a single shave, his record came to an end. For another year no one would muster a streak like this, and before long Jason packed up his life in SF and left for the east.

Three years later...

It's been an unusually warm summer this year, either Al Gore is right, or we're just having great weather. Needless to say, sunny days are great for the ZG and after three in a row, it seemed that a streak had started itself.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Tour de Fat was cold and foggy. The ZG was just the opposite. We sat next to one of the worst groups of people ever. Their entire table was almost ejected for throwing their silicon-latext faux mouth into the garden. Pink undershirt under a black polo with Lenny-Kravitz style shades, nuf said.

We made some new pals, Andrew, his sister Hillary, Justin, Lisa, Kerry, Heidi, and Liz. Angela, Eric.

Friday, July 18, 2008

It's cold and windy so we take the table nearest the bike racks. We decide that it'd be great to own a bookstore, but in the day of amazon.com, how does a local bookstore stay in business? It'd have to be a bar to survive. With a big sign, "You spill on it, you buy it." Lucie suggests that it needs to be more than just a bar with books, perhaps we could also do laundry. Rebecca is back I think we saw her on day two, but we didn't know it was day two at that time. She mesmerizes the concession stand with her good looks. Eric suggests we go on the opposite of the 12 step program. Step 12: Call up someone you've always hated and set a bridge to flames.

Me: Hey ____________. __: Koshi! What's up man? How are you? Me: Well I'm on this program for 14 days, it has 12 steps.__: I'm glad you're getting help.Me: Oh yeah, well in this step I have to be honest and tell you, I hate your fucking guts you fucking piece of shit, I hope you step on a rusty nail in the Tenderloin (hang-up).

Friday again and more reasons to avoid this place on Friday. A girl and boy walk up to the bikes and try to make out by the parked bikes. But just as they're about to lap the dried beer from each others faces, he falls backward into a bike pile. He tries to play it off cool and whips his phone out for a quick fake call, but the bouncer immediately tells him to get off of HIS bike. The drunk grabs his shit and gets out. Now it's his girlfriend's turn.

First she misses the invisible top tube on her mixte but finally manages to get herself under it. As she wobbles out of the yard with her bike, it's obvious that she's over loaded and is having trouble making out. She takes two steps to the right, and then three slow steps to the left as the bike overwhelms her. I hear an "oooh" from the back ground as if I were hearing sound effects from my own personal sit-com.

In moments she is pinned, drunk and helpless on the gravel. After a few awkward moments the bouncer scoops her up and throws her out. Ah Friday.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Day Nine, it's a quick beer before poker. Poker is done early, I'm home by 10:30. Day 5 was nearly impossible, Day 9, no problem. I finally run into Derek, who I knew exclusively within the walls of the ZG. Since moving downtown I met Derek IRL, that is, outside the ZG. It was strange, just like meeting someone for the first time IRL. I've started to believe that the ZG is the Internet IRL. Grady and Dustin holding down Tuesday.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Day 8. Lucky Eights, we're out in record time thanks to the screening of some inane crap. We had to pay 5 bucks or get out by 8p. I guess I should be thankful. Danielle tells me about Mam, one of Guatemala's many native dialects.

In her clinic some of her patients have very limited access to care and regular telephone communication. Finding them to give them reports and test results is often impossible. For that reason, she has the family wait while tests are run so results can be given immediately. As you'd imagine there are a lot of very anxious times in the clinic.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

La and Melissa have a traditional baby shower which means the men made it to the ZG before noon. A bloody-mary for breakfast, wow I feel 23 again. I'm not sure how this day ended, but I felt great on Monday.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

It's a perfect SF Saturday. The place is overrun. I've not been here on a Saturday in years. I'm reminded why; the crowd is unbearable. Still, Cas and Kenji show up. Cas with backgammon. Jess with Scrabble.

Friday, July 11, 2008

It has begun. It's cold. Friday is do-able, the fog and cold hold the masses at bay. I'm having a great deal of stress dealing with what I'm about to do, but after 5 days, it seems a waste not to go 14. Begrudgingly I face my weak constitution. I text Jamee happy birthday from the ZG and have a beer for her.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Kevmo is in town after an extended time away, but he doesn't get in until Wednesday. Poker is moved from its usual day, Tuesday, to Thursday, but everyone has the night off for something. It's nice out, why not the ZG?